On a Brilliant Sunday Afternoon
by LunarisLux
Summary: It was Sunday, his least favorite day. He exits the TARDIS to find himself back in Pete's World over a hundred years after he left her there on that beach with his double. What has brought him here? And why does he see someone that looks suspiciously like Rose Tyler? (Reunion fic. Definite Eleven/Rose pairing, but no River bashing.)
1. Chapter 1

Sunday. Of course it happened on a Sunday. It had been so long since he had last set foot on this soil. The last time he had been here he had to say goodbye to someone very important and it very nearly killed him. In fact, he did regenerate not long after that. She had been both the first face and the last face that he had seen in that body. Though he had moved on over time, he never stopped loving her. He wished her well with his other self, hoping they had a fantastic life together. Oh, it had been difficult to walk away. He often regretted it, wishing he had been a bit more selfish and asked her to stay with him. If he had been in this body, that might have been exactly what happened. But he wasn't and she was gone.

Pete's World. It had changed a bit over time, but there were still those ridiculous zeppelins. The TARDIS was still partially functioning this time and had connected to the local internet network. He knew that it was well into the future from when he had last landed at Darlig Ulv Stranden. How he ended up here at all, he wasn't sure. It should have been quite impossible, unless the fabric of space time was being threatened again. If that was the case then perhaps it was best that he was here. It would be awfully hard to solve the problem were he not present to do so.

But all the same, why here? All it did was remind him, and he would much rather forget. Remembering hurt… it hurt a lot. If he were being honest with himself, he knew could never really forget her, no matter how much he tried. Even after the Ponds came into his life, after marrying River… he still thought about her nearly every day. When he was alone on the ship, he would visit her room. Though the TARDIS had deleted all the bedrooms at one point, somehow hers stayed in tact, stored on the hidden tertiary data banks. He noticed it when scanning the contents of the TARDIS memory, and put it back into the ship's current structure matrix so it could be accessed again.

Some days he just laid on her bed for hours, taking in what was left of her scent. Everything was the same as it had always been. A few clothing items strewn about the room, makeup and beauty products slightly disarrayed on the vanity top, a pair of her trainers near the chair in the corner. He didn't dare change a thing. It was the only link he had to her, and didn't want to lose any bit of her that he could hold on to. Odd habit for The Man Who Forgets, but this was Rose Tyler, after all. She had branded his hearts forever, and earned a permanent place in them. His habits were probably a bit unhealthy and likely would register him as slightly disturbed to any mental health professional, however, he didn't really care.

An outside observer might ask how he could be so consumed by his past when there had been so very much in his present. That was a very good question to ask. The Ponds had been his family, River his wife. They had been the very light of his life, and nearly filled the gaping hole that had formed in his hearts. He couldn't imagine what his life would have been like without the glorious Amelia Pond and her wonderful husband Rory. They were everything to him, and their loss was beyond devastating. Nothing and no one could ever replace them, and he would miss them always. And it wasn't as if he hadn't loved River. He had, very much so, but it was different. So vastly different than the way he loved Rose. While they would all always be in his heart, there had only been one heart that had any room left in it. The other was permanently inhabited by one Rose Tyler, and there was nothing that would ever change that.

The Doctor looked around at the modern buildings mixed with the historical architecture of London. If you stood looking in one direction, it looked as it had for hundreds of years. Ancient buildings tower over the streets, the story of city told with every brick and every stone. Then in another direction, it looked like somewhere else altogether, with numerous skyscrapers made of metal and glass. It was the year 2154, one hundred and forty five years since his last fateful visit. In this timeline, at least. It had been more than 300 years for him. He let loose a heavy sigh. Rose was long gone by now, as would be his other self. So would the rest of the Tylers.

I suppose at least I won't have any awkward meetups, he thought. No..that didn't convince him. On the contrary, he was rather sad that there was no chance he would see her. Really...he wished he could.

He frowned a bit and shielded his eyes from the sun as it came out from behind the clouds. He glanced upward, noticing that the sky was rather clear now, lending to quite a lovely spring day. Yes, the sun was shining in all its glory.

"Love the sun. So nice and bright and...lighty," he said aloud to himself, turning his grimace to a smile.

Looking around again, he found himself at a bit of a loss as to what he should do. Since the TARDIS was currently not fully operational, and the only power cell that was still active needed time to charge, he thought he might travel about the city. It would be interesting to get an alternate perspective of 22nd century London in this parallel world. For education, for science. And he needed to be sure that nothing was amiss before he headed back. With a bit of a smile,a firm nod, and a tweak of his bow tie, the Doctor set off on foot toward the heart of London.

=xxx=

Some time later he found himself browsing a curiosities shop, marveling at some of the historical difference between this London and the London in the prime universe. Some of the changes were very subtle and others were glaringly different. Who knew that Marilyn Monroe would be a famed scientist that discovered the cure for the common cold and a winner of the Nobel Prize for science. Good for Marilyn. She was always more clever than people gave her credit for.

He ambled to the front of the store and noticed a figurine in a display case that was nearby. He approached the case to get a better look. It was a delicate crystal red rose under a tiny glass cloche. Likely it was a reference to the story of Beauty and the Beast, but it reminded him of something else altogether. Well, someone, anyway. He smiled sadly as he stared at the tiny glass figure, and contemplated purchasing it for himself. Was it a good idea? Likely not, but he would do it anyway because it was her.

"Excuse me," he called to the shopkeeper. "I'd like to purchase this, please."

After making his purchase, the Doctor exited the shop, but found himself lingering outside of it. Before he could even think of where he might head next, his stomach growled quite loudly (and quite rudely, no doubt). Yes, it was time for tea. And scones. Love a scone, he thought.. He set off to find a coffee shop, as that would likely be his best bet outside of a formal tea house. Not the best place for tea, but the baked goods always proved to make the visit worthwhile. His taste buds in this body differed from his last, but he still had a bit of an occasional sweet tooth. Today was definitely one of those days. A bit of a treat would do him good, perk him right up.

It didn't take long to find a place, and this one looked particularly promising. It advertised "A cuppa just like Mum's" and FRESH BAKED GOODS DAILY, and those in and of themselves sounded like a complete and utter delight to the Doctor. Clapping and rubbing his hands together, a wide smile on his face, he approached the shop. Once inside he looked about, surveying his surroundings. There were several other patrons, but the shop was rather spacious so it wasn't crowded. It was decorated in soothing shades of cream, blue and brown. Though it was quite roomy, it was still very home and cozy like. He liked it.

He inspected the menu and mulled over what to order for several minutes (even though he already knew what he was going to order, as he always ordered the same thing in shops like this). Finally he made a decision and his turn had come up at the counter.

"Afternoon sir, what might I get you?" the clerk asked in a reasonably cheerful tone.

"Earl Grey and a blueberry scone," was his answer, a slight smile on his lips.

A short while later he had his order and was on his way out, heading to a park that he had spotted nearby. The area he was in was a bit different in this London, and he wasn't wholly familiar with the layout of the neighborhood. He found a bench shaded under a tall dogwood tree and settled in. It was a lovely little park with an array of flowers and plant life, children playing a distance away.

He sipped his tea leisurely, and slowly chewed a hunk of his scone as he watched the different people in the park. Given that it was Saturday, there was quite a lot of activity. This was a nice neighborhood, he decided. Definitely somewhere he could visit to gather his thoughts and relax awhile. Maybe even read a book. He frowned a bit. He should have brought a book with him. Sometimes he missed that long brown coat he had worn during his previous incarnation. Those wonderful transdimensional pockets. Oh well. People watching it was.

He leaned back against the bench, resting his arms along the top of the back, shifting his gaze across the park. There was an old woman feeding birds, a city employee watering flowers, two boys floating boats on the little pond in the center of the park, Rose Tyler tying her shoe before a jog, a man with a cart selling hot dogs and peanuts calling out to attract customers… wait a moment.

His head slowly turned back, his eyes scanning for every detail until they fell upon the face that had haunted him for nearly three hundred years, the face of the woman he loved more than life itself. The woman he had lost to a metacrisis version of himself. But..how? It was nearly a century and a half forward in her timeline, a stretch of time far beyond the lifespan of a human being. Not to mention she looked exactly the same, only perhaps a bit thinner. Who was this woman and why did she have Rose's face? A descendant perhaps? It was possible if she and the metacrisis Doctor had a family. But for her to be the spitting image of Rose so many generations later? It didn't seem likely, however that was the only logical explanation. Or seemingly so at least.

By the time he had gone through the debate that took place inside his head, she had set off to run again. He scrambled in a slight panic, but managed to get to his feet. He instantly decided to follow her. There was no way he couldn't. He had to know more about this woman. Luckily she was still in his sights, so following her was an option. Realizing that he was spending far too much time thinking about doing so rather than actually doing it, he set off to follow her.

She was keeping a fairly steady pace, making it so he had to jog along at points in order to keep up with her. Blimey, she could run! Of course, that wasn't much of a surprise considering her experience. He always knew that she was quite the effective runner. Though her athleticism seemed to have improved even more so over the years. She was in very good shape, that was for certain. Then again, he always thought she had been a perfectly lovely shape. A perfectly Rose shaped sort of shape. He hadn't quite realized that he was already assuming that it was indeed her. Wishful thinking, he would have told himself, were he thinking straight.

It was 16 minutes and 42 seconds later when she finally came to a stop in front of a four story buildings that obviously housed several flats. Once she disappeared inside, he moved closer to the building to investigate a little. He was able to slip inside the lobby of the building and made his way over to the mail slots. Scanning the list of names, he frowned a little, not seeing any recognizable name on any of the boxes. That was until he came across the surname Prentice. Prentice, Prentice… why was that so familiar? He racked his brain, trying to figure out why this name struck a chord with him, but nothing surfaced. After several minutes and odd looks from building inhabitants making their way home, he realized he was loitering. Hurrying out of the lobby of the building, he found himself on the street again. The Doctor sighed. Back to square one.

He made his way back to the TARDIS, all the while thinking of that name. Prentice. Perhaps it was just a coincidence and he was grasping at straws. Then, in mid-stride, it struck him like the tolling of the cloister bells. Prentice! His mind flooded with a very distinct memory, the Battle at Canary Wharf. When Rose and the Doctor had arrived back at the Powell Estate to visit her mother, Jackie started talking about the "ghosts" that had been appearing. It had been going on for the better part of two months, and she was convinced that the "ghost" appearing in her home was that of her father, Rose's Granddad Prentice. That was it! Her mother's maiden name! Of course it was familiar! He had heard stories of when Rose was small and she would go for ice cream with her Granddad Prentice, and how her Nan Prentice always bought her things that were pink.

R. Prentice. It had read R. Prentice… could it be Rose Prentice? He had no absolute way of knowing. Well in the very least, it seemed that part of the mystery was solved. But still, why would her descendant have her mother's maiden name? Surely if Rose and the Metacrisis Doctor had married, either she would have taken whatever name he was using, or more likely, kept her maiden name. It could very well be someone else with the name Prentice, and he had no clue what name the metacrisis Doctor had taken after coming to this world. It was very possible that his idea was completely and utterly wrong. A normal person might just let it go and move along. A normal person wouldn't go to ridiculous lengths just to satisfy a curiosity. However, he was not a normal person, and he was going to do exactly those things.

When he finally reached the TARDIS, he accessed the ship's computer and tapped into the local internet connection. He began with the obvious and looked up the name Prentice in the online white pages. He found a number of them, but there wasn't an R. Prentice among them. Digging a little deeper, he searched for an R. Prentice specifically. It took a bit of searching (which included gaining access to some highly classified websites) and he finally found what he was looking for: a phone number. It was the correct phone number for the location of the flat, according to his sources. In the very least he could ring up the mystery woman to hear her voice and settle all of this ridiculous hopes that it might actually be Rose. He knew it was illogical to think it might be her, but he couldn't help it. If there was even the most remote chance...he had to know, even if it was next to impossible.

It took several minutes before he was ready to make the call, pacing back and forth over the TARDIS floor in front of the console. He stopped a few times and stared at the phone before taking a deep breath and picking up the receiver before putting it back down again.

"Oh this is just stupid! C'mon Doctor! Get a hold of yourself, old man! It's just a bloody phone call," he groused at himself, frowning deeply, the lines in his forehead prominent. Finally, he picked up the receiver and dialed out the number. It rang several times, and he was about to hang up, but then suddenly there was someone at the other end.

"Hello?" came a female voice.

He froze. It sounded exactly like her… not just like her… it WAS her. There was no mistake about it. This was Rose Marion Tyler on the other end of the line. He knew that voice too well, having spent years perfectly preserving memories of her in his mind for nearly three centuries. But how could this be? How was she alive? There was no plausible reason for her still being here after 150 years. As impossible as it was… it meant she was still here. Still living and breathing and walking this Earth. She was mere minutes away, up in her flat, answering his phone call, and he was frozen.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello?" came the voice again, more urgent this time. Oh. Right. Phone call. He was on the phone to her. Suddenly, it was difficult to speak, a problem the Doctor rarely had. But if he didn't say something soon she might hang up! Oh God, what was he supposed to do?! Blimey… And then he found his voice.

"Hello! Sorry about that, bit of a bad connection I think," he got out, trying to sound as casual as possible. She laughed a little. Oh that laugh… that magically musical laugh... yes this was definitely her. He found himself slightly flushed, his hearts beating almost twice their normal speed.

"S'alright. So um...who's this then?" she asked, and he found himself dumbfounded once again. He couldn't use his usual alias, she might see right through that.

"Um.. this is...Rory Pond," he said, giving the first name that popped into his head. "You can just call me.. Rory." She laughed again. Oh goodness did she have a lovely laugh.

"Okay then, Rory it is. But might I ask why you're calling Rory?"

"Oh… uh...I...well I..you see I'm calling about...I.." he stammered, again uncertain as to what to say. Lord, he certainly was struggling wasn't he? Normally he was an expert at coming up with stories on the fly with no trouble whatsoever. But this was different. He usually wasn't faced with his long lost love whom he was attempting to conceal his identity from for the time being.

"Blimey, you're a nervous one, aren't you?" she chuckled, noting his behavior. "Oh! Is this about the ad?"

The ad. He had no idea what she was talking about, of course, but this could be the perfect opportunity for a cover story. He had to be as convincing as possible so that she didn't suspect anything.

"The ad… yes, the ad! That's exactly why I'm calling! Sorry about the nerves, odd like that, me," he said quickly, still trying to avoid any suspicion.

"Oh great! I was hoping that someone would respond soon. Did you want to come take a look at it then? The pictures really don't do it justice," she asked. Take a look at it? Take a look at what? His mind went blank again. And then it dawned on him; this was the perfect opportunity for him to be able to see her face to face. Though he was almost completely certain that this was indeed his Rose, he had to be absolutely sure before revealing himself to her.

"Oh...oh yes! I would love to!" he exclaimed. It took only a moment before he realized that he was practically shouting, and cleared his throat a little, embarrassed slightly. "I mean, yes, I would most definitely like to come by to see it."

She then gave him her address and they arranged to meet up in an hour's time. Of course, he didn't need her address as he already knew where she lived, but he had to hold up pretenses to not give himself away. Once they had hung up he was feeling rather excited and very nervous. The prospect of seeing her again was almost anxiety inducing, but it was a good kind of anxiety. An anticipation sort of anxiety. Needless to say, it was the longest hour of all his lives put together. When it was finally time, he made his way back to her building and up to her flat.

The Doctor stood outside the door for several minutes before knocking. This was it. Once he knocked there was no going back. It was very very possible that behind that door was the love of his life. The woman he had been pining for all these many years. Rose Tyler… the beautiful, wonderful, absolutely fantastic Rose Tyler. He braced himself and then knocked. He heard a voice call out and some movement behind the door. A few more moments passed before the door finally opened and he was greeted with an all too familiar face.

She looked beautiful. Her hair was a bit damp, likely from a recent shower, and she wasn't wearing much makeup. Her hair was a darker shade of blonde than he was familiar with, but her eyes were the same as always. Those warm, deep brown eyes that sparkled when she smiled. This had to be her. No one had eyes like that. It didn't matter how many pairs of eyes he had seen over time, hers were still the most magnificent. But still, he had to be cautious and wait for some kind of concrete evidence that this was indeed his Rose.

"Rory?" she asked pleasantly, smiling widely at him. He stared for a moment and then opened his mouth to speak only to have nothing come out. Once again, he found himself rendered speechless, and very inconveniently so. She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to answer. Finally he found his voice.

"Yes! Yes… sorry, bit shy I suppose," he said sheepishly, almost afraid to look her in the eyes again. "That's me, Rory Pond!' She just chuckled lightly and stuck out her hand.

"Well Rory Pond, I'm Rose Prentice. Pleasure to meet you," she said, shaking his hand as he took hers. For a split second a strange look crossed her face, and the Doctor wasn't sure what to make of it. Could it be a spark of recognition? She seemed to shake herself out of it quickly and flashed him a brilliant smile. Oh that smile. Now that she had confirmed that her name indeed was Rose, he was certain that it was her.

"So come on in then, Rory," she said, opening the door further and beckoned him to enter. He took her invitation and entered slowly. Once he was inside, she closed the door and walked across the room. "It's right in here. Just kept it in place. The bloody thing is too heavy to move!"

She moved toward another room and he started to follow, taking in his surroundings as they went. The apartment was sparsely decorated, a few pieces of tasteful art hanging on the walls. There were little to no person effects other than a jacket over the back of the couch and a book on the coffee table. He had to smile at that sight a bit. Rose always had a habit of slinging her jacket over something and leaving it there until she next needed it. The furniture was appropriate for mid 22nd century, a lot of sleek lines and simple shapes. It was a rather standard flat that would belong to a rather standard person, and completely lacked any aspect of Rose's personality. Something told him that she hadn't lived here long.

"New apartment?" he asked casually. She glanced back at him, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah actually, just been here a few weeks. Bought the place furnished," she replied.

When they entered in the other room, he noticed she stopped maybe ten feet in and was standing next to an oversized sculpture of a crushed cigarette butt. It was quite obviously a replica, as it wasn't quite the size of the original sculpture. His eyes widened a little as he took it in. He considered it for a moment and couldn't help but wonder just why Rose had this statue. Claes Oldenburg had never been a personal favorite, but his work was important in the history of 20th century sculpture art. All the same, it was not at all her taste.

"So there it is," she said, motioning to the sculpture, pulling a bit of a face. "Just been sittin' for awhile now, but kept covered most of the time."

"Yes, well, it certainly is something, isn't it?" he said, eyeing the piece again before shifting his gaze back to her. She looked at him curiously. He cleared his throat and went on.

"Claes Oldenburg was one of the most well known sculptors of his time. Certainly one of the most prominent of the 20th century. He was born in Stockholm, Sweden, but grew up in Chicago. There was a definitive mixture of European classicalism merged with American modernism in his style. Quite the interesting mixture, no doubt. And it seems it certainly has stood the test of time. Well up until this point, anyway. Can't say that holds up down the line, though. Haven't seen the way it works out here," he rattled off, his eyes narrowing as he looked over the piece again. His eyes flicked back to her face. She was giving him that same dubious look.

"His work was unique, I'll give him that. Not really my taste. Was here when I moved in," Rose said, eyebrows raised, glancing from the piece back to him. "So you interested?"

Her question was lost on him, as he had noticed a framed picture across the room, leaning against the wall, resting on a ledge near a large window. There was a chair facing the window, afternoon sun falling across it. He strode across the room and stood in front of the picture, hands in his pockets. It was a family photo, Rose, her parents Jackie and Pete, the metacrisis Doctor, and her little brother Tony as a teenager. He noticed that Rose was wearing a wedding band. They all looked so grandly happy, posing together in front of a Christmas tree. He smiled a little, a tear pricking his eye as he looked upon those familiar faces. They were likely all gone now. It made him a bit sad to think about.

"Where were you? When you were away from London?" he asked suddenly, still looking at the picture.

"What? I never said I was away from London," she said, a note of shock in her voice. "How did you…"

He turned back toward her, smiling ever so slightly. "I assumed, given you purchased a furnished apartment. You must travel light." She was giving him that look again, frowning a little.

"So, are you not interested then?" she asked bluntly, her tone chilly.

"Oh, not in the slightest," he admitted, smiling at her still. She narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Look mate, if you're taking the piss here, I don't have time for any funny business," she spat out, a slight growl in her voice. Ooo love the growl.

"I am most certainly not 'taking the piss' as you say, but rather just looking for an answer to a question," he replied vaguely, shrugging his shoulders.

"And what question is that then?" she challenged, shoulders squared, looking as though she were ready to spring into action if necessary. There was a fire in her eyes that he had seen many times, and honestly, it made his heart quicken. Oh Rose…

"Would you like a jelly baby?" he asked, pulling a small wax paper bag from his pocket and offering her one of the confections.

Rose stared at him, wide eyed and utterly speechless. She looked from him, to the bag, and back to him again. She knew. She had to know. He was being quite obvious. She had always teased him for his sweet tooth and his habit of carrying around candy in his pocket like an old granddad. Her eyes began to well up, her expression shifting from shock to something else entirely.

"Oh my God...Is it...is it you? Doctor? " she asked, her voice cracking slightly. He smiled at her.

"Yes..yes it is me. Hello Rose Tyler," he said, taking a step toward her, hands still in his pockets.

She gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth as a pair of tears streamed down her face. "I can't believe it...Are you really here?" she whispered, her eyes full of question.

"I am Rose, I really am," he said quietly, smiling gently.

She tentatively reached to touch his cheek. It was as if she was afraid he might disappear. The feel of her fingertips brushing his cheek sent a chill through him, the little hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. His eyes fluttered close as she stroked her thumb over his cheekbone, then turning his head slightly to kiss her fingers. She gasped a little and he opened his eyes. They stared at one another for a long moment before their lips came crashing together. His arms looped around her, his hands spread over the surface of her back as he pulled her tight to him. Rose clung to him as their lips progressed from gentle caresses to heated nips and licks. His tongue slid over her bottom lip, asking for entrance. She parted her lips, allowing his tongue to enter, sliding against hers as he deepened the kiss.

By the time they came up for air, both of them were thoroughly flushed. Both panting a little as their foreheads rested, they stood still clinging to each other. He raised his eyes to look into hers and she smiled shyly. They hadn't shared a kiss in a very, very long time, and he was still feeling a rush from it. He pulled her into him again, embracing her fully. She hugged him tight, nuzzling her cheek against his chest. She still smelled the same- that wonderful, distinctly Rose Tyler smell. When they finally parted, his hearts clenched at feeling the loss of her warmth against him.

"So...I suppose you're wondering how I'm here," Rose said softly, looking up at him.

He nodded and gave her a little smile. "Yeah...the thought did cross my mind."

"Let me make us a cuppa and then we'll talk, yeah?" she said, smiling back at him. He nodded and took her hand as she offered it, and followed her toward the kitchen.

After Rose had made a pot of tea, they settled in the little breakfast nook off the kitchen. After setting the tea service on the table, Rose disappeared into the kitchen again. While he waited, the Doctor looked out the window. Given that they were so high up, there was an amazing view of London. He was fixated on a trio of men carrying a very large plate of glass across the road, wondering why they weren't taking more precautions when Rose appeared again. He looked up rather sheepishly, feeling a little embarrassed about his gawking out the window. It was then that he noticed that Rose set a plate full of Jammy Dodgers on the table. He grinned widely, looking at her as she seated herself across from him.

"You remembered," he said affectionately, reaching for a biscuit and taking half of it in one bite. "Mmmm, so tasty!"

Rose giggled a little, cupping her chin with her hand as she rested it up on her elbow. She nodded, still smiling. "Of course. I hoped that you still liked them, given your tastes tend to change with every regeneration."

He looked at her for a moment and then nodded a little. "They do. This body loves fish fingers and custard."

Rose pulled a face and quirked an eyebrow up. "That's...an interesting combination."

"Hey now, don't knock it until you've tried it, Rose Tyler," he said with a wink and a grin. And then his expression sobered. "So...do you want to tell me how you're still here, nearly a hundred and fifty years after I...left you here.. looking exactly the same as the day we met?"

"Well, it's a bit of a long story," she said, sitting up and clearing her throat. "But the short of it is, I don't age. I haven't for longer than I even know."

His mouth dropped open in shock. "I...I thought you were going to tell me you got a hold of a vortex manipulator or something to that degree. But...I wasn't expecting...how?"

Rose shrugged. "The most we could ever surmise was that it was all the doing of Bad Wolf. The Doctor...well, the other Doctor, my Doctor I mean.. He figured that when I looked into the heart of the TARDIS, the vortex energy changed my DNA. Even though you removed it from me, it worked fast enough to manipulate my genetic makeup so that I don't age. I also experience regeneration of sorts. It's not quite how it works for you, with a whole new body, but my body will heal itself if ill or injured."

The Doctor nodded slowly, taking in the details of what she was telling him. She went on to describe how the Metacrisis Doctor had used the Torchwood labs to run as many tests on her as he could. Jon (that's what he called himself) had been worried that it had some kind of lasting negative effects. What he did find was a triple helix DNA strand, discovering the root of Rose's changes. He kept track of her health and vitals over the years, always worried that something was going to happen to her. And then she was injured in the line of duty, and that was when they discovered her body's ability to regenerate its cells.

She went on to tell him about her life after the left. How at first, she had been so angry at him for up and leaving her again, but in time she came to understand. Jon told her that the only thing the Doctor had wanted was for her to be happy. With the Metacrisis Doctor, he thought she could live a happy, human life until the end of their days. Over time she came to forgive him, and was even thankful to him for what he did. They had a long, happy life together. She told him that Jon had lived until the ripe old age of 97, and that she wouldn't trade a single moment of it.

A couple of years after the Doctor left them on the parallel world, they ended up married. Both took jobs with Torchwood, and settled down together. Or settled down as much as a life working for a secret organization that interacted with beings from other worlds would allow. Jon had worked as a scientist in the Torchwood labs and Rose was Head of Field Agent Operations. They worked under her dad Pete, and lived a fabulous life together. Whenever they got the chance they would travel, marking off each spot on a map whenever they returned home.

As the years passed, he grew older and she remained the same.

That didn't change things between them at all though. The pair of them lived life out together, watching her parents and then her brother grow older. Eventually, she had to say goodbye to them, and was left alone. She had already left Torchwood years earlier, and they moved to a warmer climate to help with Jon's rheumatism. They had settled in Bali, living right along the ocean with a magnificent view. He had died there and she burned his body in the tradition Time Lord fashion. After his passing, she sold their property, and began to travel the world on her own.

"And I decided to come back to London after 20 years of being away. Actually, I hadn't lived here for nearly 50 years, but I visited about 30 years ago. When we hosted the Olympics again. They were just starting to introduce hyper sports. Really great time," she mused, smiling at him.

The Doctor looked at her for a long moment, studying her closely. She carried this air of confidence and casualness like a pro, but he could see deeper. Underneath there was someone who suffered years of loneliness, wandering with no place to call home. At least he had the TARDIS to call home, his very own little place in the universe that belonged to no one else. Not to mention he had companions over the years. He wasn't alone all the time, but it sounded like she was most of the time. While he was much older than her, he had always had friends throughout his travels.

He reached across the table and took her hand, lacing their fingers together. Their eyes met again, and the smile dropped from her face. He brushed his thumb over the back of her hand and let loose a quiet little hum. He had missed the feel of her hand in his. No matter whose hand he had held, none of them fit so perfectly as Rose Tyler's.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I'm sorry I left you behind. And I'm sorry you've been alone for so long."

Rose looked at him, her eyes glassy with tears that had yet to fall. She sucked in a breath, stifling a sob, but her emotions betrayed her. The teardrops spilled over and down her cheeks as she grasped his hand a little tighter.

"I've been so lonely," she whispered, tears flowing freely now. "I've hoped for so long that you would come back for me. I knew it was far fetched, likely to never happen. For the longest time I felt guilty, thinking it was an insult to Jon's memory. But he had always told me that I should try to find you again when he was gone. He told me that you loved me and would want to be with me again. I knew that you would understand what it's like...to live this kind of life. I never assumed you would want me back, but I hoped I guess."

She raised her eyes to look at him again, face tear stained. His hearts clenched again, his brow furrowed as he frowned deeply. How could she ever think that he wouldn't want her. But he had given her reason to believe that he wouldn't, hadn't he? It broke his hearts to know that she felt that kind of doubt, thinking all these years that he might reject her. It was then that he took both of her hands and pulled her toward him. She got up out of her chair and found her way into his lap. He held her close to him, kissing her cheeks, her forehead and then placing a chaste, but sweet kiss on her soft lips.

"Oh Rose, of course I want you back," he murmured, squeezing her a little and stroking her back. "Always...I always want you, Rose."

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight, not letting go. Her forehead rested against his, and she gave him a bit of a smile.

"I'm glad," she said, reaching up to brush her fingertips over his cheek.

She looked up at him, her smile so warm, her eyes shining. She looked sincerely happy. No playing it cool or trying to be all held together. She looked really, sincerely happy, and he was so glad for it. He smiled back at her, feeling the warmth rising up in his chest. Rose had always had that effect on him. And one thing that she had always given him was hope. Perhaps there was a chance things might work out this time.


	3. Chapter 3

They ate dinner in her flat, fish and chips (as anyone who knew them might expect). They talked about their lives and all the time that had passed since they last met. There was so much that they needed to share, and he wondered how much time he had with her. Would she come back with him? If she did, would she stay? He hoped that she would come to stay. The thought of parting with her now was to much pain to bare.

In the past he always wrestled about what to do and how to act when it came to Rose. His feelings for her were unlike any he had had for any companion before her. He always loved them. They were his friends, his family. But she...she was something else all-together. While she had been his very best mate, the object of his adoration, the Shiver to his Shake- she was also the only person he had let down all his guards with. He never let anyone as close as he let Rose. She got deep under his skin, sometimes almost unnervingly so. Not because he didn't like her being close, but it scared him. That fear was all based in losing her. He had already done that twice, and wasn't setting out to do it again. In fact, he would do everything in his power to prevent it.

Late that evening he moved the TARDIS to the inside of her flat, alongside the Oldenburg copy. Thankfully her spare power cells had had enough power to make the short hop.(And the fact that Rose had asked her ever so nicely to "pretty please" make the trip likely had a lot to do with it.) Night rolled around and he had no intention of leaving. If the long, tedious year that he had spent living with the Ponds had taught him, it was that he could wait out a few days of domestics if it meant having Rose return to him. If he could wait for those blasted little cubes, he could sure as hell wait for Rose.

"Um, well, you're welcome to stay, if you like," Rose offered, almost sounding nervous. "There's a guest room...or...my room...if you want…"

Her voice trailed off as she fidgeted, motioning at nothing in particular. They made eye contact and both blushed, smiling at each other. He cleared his throat and broke the silence.

"Wherever you'll be, that my choice Rose Tyler," he said softly.

She grinned at him, taking a couple of steps toward him and offering him a hand. He took it promptly and gave it a little squeeze. She bit her lip shyly, looking away for a moment, and then peeking back at him from behind her hair.

"I think I'd like to spend the night with you on the TARDIS, actually," she said warmly. He beamed back at her and gave a slow nod.

"Of course, I would be delighted," he said, leaning in and touching his forehead to hers. They stayed like that for a moment, looking at one another. After the moment had passed, he took her hand and led her toward the TARDIS.

They made their way through the console room and down the corridor toward his personal quarters. This was the room that he never allowed anyone to enter. Not even River had spent the night here. No else had ever slept in that bed, except Rose. He had wanted to keep it that way. So many times he recounted the nights she had spent coaxing his body out of a horrible fever, spending every moment tending to his every need until he was well again. That had been in his ninth form when he was bitten by Darjinian Boiling Beetles. And she had repeated the whole thing when he was in his tenth form and caught the Mangari flu on Xeenox 17. In both instances, Rose had spent the night with him in his bed. Granted it had all been very innocent then, but they did share a cuddle both times (and the subsequent nights after until Rose felt safe leaving him on his own).

When they stopped outside the door, he turned to her, taking her hands into his own, he looked into her eyes while smiling gently. He didn't want to push too hard, but at the same time was desperate to reconnect with her on every level.

"Is this alright? If it's not, I understand," he said, his eyes shining with earnest.

She smiled, reaching a hand up and brushing her thumb over the apple of his cheek. "It's fine for me, but is it really okay for you? I mean...I'm...I'm not...your wife."

When she finally stumbled out the words, they hung there in the air for a moment. The weight of her statement was a blaring bleat of reality, however, he refused to let it deter him. While he felt a pang of loss, remorse, and regret for what had once been, he was consumed by what could be again. Right here, in this moment, he was faced with Rose Tyler, the love of all his lives. It would never overshadow the love he felt for his wife. That would always remain as so. But this love, the love he had for Rose was its own life, its own being. And he was thrust full into it once again. It was like plunging into a cold swimming pool after too much time in the Jacuzzi.

"And I'm not your husband...yet," he said, the last bit with a little wink and smirk.

She giggled a bit, flashing him her signature tongue touched grin. "Sound awfully confident," she chided, playfully but gently poking at his tummy.

"Part of the new package, Tyler. Get used to it. Confidence is cool," he sniffed, giving her his best cool guy smirk. She broke down in all out giggles then. He couldn't help but laugh with her.

"But Rose, to answer your question, yes, it's more than alright. To be honest, no one has accompanied me in here since...well since you."

She relaxed a little then, smiling shyly. "Well okay then, on we go," she said, nodding toward the door. He nodded in return and opened it to let them in.

When they entered, they saw that the TARDIS had intuitively deduced the outcome of the evening and had provided what they needed to ready themselves for the night. Two sets of jimjams laid neatly folded at the foot of the bed, his and hers respectively. Also in his ensuite was a toothbrush and necessary toiletries for Rose. It seems the ship had already made up her mind about a certain someone staying. They both readied for bed, her dressing in the privacy of the en suite. He left his vest top on in lieu of the jimjam top, neatly folding it and setting it aside.

Rose emerged a short time later in her pale pink tank and short set, looking all freshly scrubbed. He liked seeing her dressed down like this. It all felt so natural, so intimate. They silently climbed into bed, the lights dimming as they slipped beneath the covers. With very few words, they found themselves comfortable with him spooning her from behind and an arm tightened around her waist as he pulled her to him. He placed a soft kiss on the back of her neck as they murmured their goodnights. For the first time in quite a long time, he fell into a deep, restful sleep.

Several hours passed while they slept snuggled close together. He usually didn't sleep this long, but he found himself unusually drowsy, and far too comfortable to move. In the past when they had laid together like this, he had always woken first and vacated the room before she stirred. Something about the closeness unnerved him. Not because he didn't like it. On the contrary, he liked it very much. Too much, he had feared. So he would distance himself, and avoid the feelings all together. But not now, certainly not now. This time around he would revel in every moment he spent near her, not wasting a single second of it.

They laid facing each other now, having drifted apart slightly in their sleep. Their hands had remained together throughout the night. He gently traced his thumb over the top of her hand as she watched her sleep. She was so beautiful, breathtaking really. How could he have ever walked away from her? He really wasn't sure, but he was certain that he would never do it again. A short while later, she began to stir, squinting at him through sleep ridden eyes.

"What time is it?" she said hoarsely, stretching out and then releasing a little sigh.

He smiled. "It's about 8 o'clock in the morning, London time. You slept a full 8 hours, 13 minutes, 42 seconds. Give or take."

She laughed then. "Just a guess, right?"

He smiled and leaned in to lightly press his lips to hers. "Something like that. So Rose Tyler, what do you say to some breakfast?"

"I'd say I'm dying for a good cuppa about now," she groaned, stretching again.

"Cuppa it is, then. Shall we?" he said with a goofy grin.

Then both got up then (with a bit of grumbling from Rose, as she was not now, nor had ever been a morning person), and went to the galley. They were pleasantly surprised with a piping pot of tea and tray with scones with jam (courtesy of the TARDIS, no doubt). Rose cooed excitedly as she set herself on pouring a cup of tea for them each. The Doctor sat across from her, smiling all the while. This was how things were supposed to be. He and Rose Tyler on the TARDIS, enjoying a cuppa and some delicious scones.

They made friendly chit chat over tea, laughing as the Doctor recounted a story about a time he'd ended up in a Grimian prison for trespassing on sacred lands. He told the story with great enthusiasm, waving his arms and flailing about as he reenacted his stealthy getaway.

"You should have seen me Rose! Dumped an entire bucket of green pain on myself just so that I might blend in as man-shaped flora! But really Grimia is a lovely place if you go the right time of year. You'd love their harvest festival! So many great foods, fireworks, local wares sold in the market, dancing, oh the dancing!" he said brightly, grinning from ear to ear. Just then he noticed that Rose had gone quiet and was no longer laughing.

"Rose?" he inquired gently, eyebrows knitted together in concern. "Is something wrong?"

She had gone a bit pale and her eyes were glassy, as if she was holding back tears. He saw her take a deep breath, shuddering a little as she did. The Doctor moved quickly to take her hands into his, giving them a gentle squeeze.

"Rose, what is it? Please talk to me," he pleaded, thoroughly confused and greatly concerned. Finally she brought her gaze up to meet his.

"Nothin' jus' thinkin' about how you'll...how you'll have to go back eventually," she said, giving a watery laugh that held no mirth. "Guess I should be used to saying goodbye to you by now."

He stared back at her, waves of emotion crashing over him as he watched a tear slip down her cheek. He hated to see her cry. That always pulled at his hearts strings. The Doctor slipped off his chair and knelt on one knee in front of her, cupping her cheeks in his hands, gazing into her eyes.

"Come with me, Rose. Please. I'll beg if I have to…I meant it when I said I wanted you back.. I can't leave you again," he said, his own emotions betraying him this time. The desperation in his voice rang out loud and clear. Her eyes widened.

"Y-you mean it?" she asked, more tears falling now.

He nodded frantically. He wouldn't let her slip away again, not this time. He had waited far too long for this moment, a moment he thought would never come, but had always hoped for.

"Yes. Yes Rose, I want you to come with me. I want...I want us to be together," he said, greatly emphasizing the last word.

She broke out into a thousand watt grin, throwing her arms around his neck and thrusting herself forward at him, landing them in a tangled pile of limbs on the ground. They rolled together a bit, hugging tightly, both laughing.

"That's a yes, I hope," he said, burying his face in her hair, closing his eyes as he inhaled her scent.

She laughed and nodded emphatically. "Yes, yes, a million times yes!" she said, peppering kisses all over his face until her lips met with his. They lingered on the kiss for several moments before the Doctor pulled himself up into a sitting position. He pulled Rose into his lap, holding her close to him. They stayed like that for a long while, reveling in this moment together.

When they finally pulled themselves up off the floor, they were quick to make plans for their departure. The Doctor helped Rose pack up the few boxes of personal effects that she had, and moved them into the TARDIS. It wasn't long before they had cleared the apartment of anything she wanted to take with her. As they worked, the Doctor grew antsy, hopping about like an impatient child being allowed to open his first present at Christmas. Rose couldn't help but laugh, as she found his youthful antics to be greatly endearing.

Rose decided to simply sign away her apartment to her elderly neighbor that she had taken a shine to. She explained to Mrs. Featherstone that she simply wouldn't be needing it any longer and that she was free to do with it as she pleased. The woman was very confused, but accepted Rose's gift, thanking her over and again. Afterall, it was the biggest, most posh apartment in the entire building, and had the very best view. If Mrs. Featherstone didn't take up residence there herself, she would bank a hefty sum from selling or sub-letting it.

Finally, they boarded the TARDIS and prepared to say goodbye to Pete's World once and for all. Rose sat on the jumpseat as she watched the Doctor work his magic with the controls. She was curious how he handled them in this form. His piloting techniques had been different in his previous two forms, each incarnation having his own style about it. She watched him pull a lever she didn't recognize and all of the lights came on inside the ship.

"Oh wow! Just like that," she exclaimed, laughing a bit. "Bit different than the last time I left this world with you!"

The Doctor nodded, smiling. "Well after last time, I made some upgrades when the desktop changed. Installed an ionic energy converter, allowing the TARDIS to take energy cells from within this atmosphere and convert it into a usable fuel source. Figured I'd be prepared in case I ever ended up back here."

She simply smiled and nodded, leaning back against the jumpseat. Then she sat up again, looking alarmed. He looked at her, head cocked to one side as he threw the dematerialization switch.

"Rose? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Well, I was just thinking...how did you end up in Pete's World? I thought it was impossible! I mean, unless the walls of reality were breaking down again," she said, looking worried.

He circled around the console and slipped onto the jumpseat next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. "Just a chance happening, I suppose. Found a loophole. I'm good at loopholes, me."

She chuckled a little, shaking her head. "Yeah I suppose you are. Always were good at defying the impossible."

He grinned, leaning in to kiss her cheek and nuzzle her neck. She giggled a bit, turning her head to kiss him sweetly on the lips. He could certainly get used to this. Then, quick as a rabbit, he hopped to his feet and approached the console again.

"So where to Rose Tyler? All of time and space is at your feet," he said, giving a little bow.

"Anywhere! Surprise me," she said with a giggle.

"Alright then, a surprise it is! Love a surprise. I'm good at surprises," he said, tweaking his bow tie and wriggling his eyebrows at her.

"By the way, love the bow tie," she commented, nodding to him, flashing him her classic tongue touched grin.

"Bowties are cool," he said with a smirk.

"Bowties are cool," she repeated with a laugh and nod.

"Exactly, Rose Tyler. I knew you had good taste," he joked, giving her a wink.

And so they were together once more, the Doctor and Rose Tyler on the TARDIS, just as it should. All was well and right in the universe. Or so they thought...until the cloister bells began to toll and the TARDIS began to shake violently. They came to a thudding crash, both of them falling to the floor, grasping at whatever they could reach. Finally, once they were able to regain their footing, they both stood, wavering on their feet. A ruckus could be heard going on outside the TARDIS. They looked at each other questioningly, each shrugging. He extended his hand to her, grinning broadly.

"Shall we?" he asked as she took his hand. She smiled and nodded firmly.

"Let's," she said, matching his grin.

"Geronimo!"

xxx

**_So there's my version of Eleven and Rose reuniting and living happily ever after. I thought about doing more with this, as it has the potential for further installments, but wasn't sure. Tell me what you think? Thanks for reading!_**


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